


All That Remains

by CosmicFantasy



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Painful Sex, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Rape/Non-con Elements, Revenge Sex, Rough Sex, Smut, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:48:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28709982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CosmicFantasy/pseuds/CosmicFantasy
Summary: Nora and Nick are partners, best friends, and anyone can see they'd both like there to be more. Yet Nick has never made a move and Nora never pushed it. She knows he's self conscious about his limitations as a Gen 2 synth, and wouldn't want to make him uncomfortable by pressing the matter. All that changes when Nick gets the sudden urge, some time after diving into Kellogg's mind to find Shaun, to get a touch up and repair his broken exterior. He gets more than he bargains for however when a simple show and tell turns into a nightmare for both of them. Can their relationship survive a vengeful soul bent on using Nick's body to make Nora suffer, or are some things too unforgivable for even love to overcome?
Relationships: Conrad Kellogg/Female Sole Survivor, Female Sole Survivor/Nick Valentine
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter one is a pretty tame buildup, but shit gets fucked up pretty quickly after that. CW/TW particularly for chapter 2.

After countless years of not paying any attention to his body and physical appearance, recently Nick had been feeling an overwhelming urge to get patched up. Nora had never seemed to be bothered by his synthetic appearance, never flinched at his unusual face and damaged visage. Well not since they first met anyway, when she'd come face to face with a synth for the first time. Since then at least, his looks didn't bother her. There was concern for his wellbeing when they got caught in the rain and he got wet, but that was all. She'd fuss over him until they got somewhere dry and then she'd keep fussing for hours afterwards, worried that his wires getting wet could damage him. She would look at him with this deep, caring gaze that sent a shock through his system and warmed what passed for his heart.

It was no wonder he was so ready and willing to risk his life to help her gain access to Kellogg's memories in order to find her son. He'd do it anyway, but he would have had reservations. Not so with Nora. He wanted her to be happy, even if there was a chance he wouldn't be there to see it. Thankfully everything had gone well and Kellogg was gone for good.

All that made it a bit confusing to think about where this sudden urge to get patched up came from, but he rationalized it as a sort of gift to Nora. Someone you care about, hell even love, practicing self care was a reward in its own right and that was never more true than with Nora. She seemed to live for making others happy and seeing Nick all cleaned up would probably make her happy, and that would make Nick happy.

He chuckled at the loop of happiness he was creating thinking about it, and finally decided to do something about it. He visited Railroad HQ, a place he was welcomed for who he was, a true rarity in the commonwealth, and talked to the one man who would really be willing and able to help.

Tinker Tom was an oddball character to say the least, but the guy knew his way around a Synth. When Nick came to him and asked to be fixed up, Tom was thrilled.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that." Tom nearly sobbed at being given this chance. "I've been thinking about things I wanna do to you for a while now" Tom said in a way that was not entirely reassuring, and maybe even offputting, to Nick "For one, adding more subdermal sensors so your skin acts more like human skin. You know, better feeling? Also, your skin is way thicker than it needs to be. I can make thinner skin that protects just as well if not better than your current setup, and it'll replicate human skin more closely. Not that you need to be human, but you're a special case" Tom said excitedly, not explaining what he meant by that.

He had started pacing at some point while chattering away about the upgrades he was planning "Fill in those holes, get you looking brand new. Oh, and of course you're missing something vital." Tinker Tom stopped pacing and gave Nick a meaningful look, his eyes flicked to Nick's waist. "If you let me, I'll give you a dick. Your own I mean, not mine."

Nick was taken aback by this to say the least, and he sort of stared at Tom for a moment as realization of what Tom was getting at finally set it.

"You're going to give me a..."

"A dick. A cock, a knob, a willy, a Penis. Whatever you want to call it, its function is recreational." Tom winked "Been working on it for forever!" He seemed very proud of this, though the idea was unnerving to Nick. WHY was he working on giving Nick a penis?

"It's the most perfect cock in the history of cocks. It even ejaculates, obviously you'll shoot blanks since you got no DNA but this puppy will do the trick. Extra sensors to really crank up the sensitivity, all hooked into a program I created to simulate an orgasm. It'll overload your sensors but never to a dangerous or fatal degree." Tom grinned wildly as he made for a chest next to his workbench and opened it, gesturing inside.

There were spare parts from scraped Gen 2s, and sure enough a lovingly sculpted cock with a matching pair of testicles. "It's about eight inches of good times all around, and thick enough that no sensitive love spot can avoid it. Ribbed for your pleasure." He said all this openly and proudly.

Nick shifted as he looked at the cock in the box. It was a bit bigger than original Nick's had been, it seemed almost unnecessarily thick and long but he did like the idea of the added texture. He shook his head while he processed what he was seeing and thinking, images coming unbidden to his mind of using such an upgrade with Nora. Taking her to bed and being able to watch her gorgeous face as she came, writhing in pleasure beneath him. Bending her over a desk and taking her hard and fast from behind while she cried out his name, unable to think of anything but how he felt inside her. A third image flashed through his mind and it startled him. Forcing her against a wall and ripping that form-hugging Vault suit off her body, shoving himself inside her to the sound of her protesting and squirming to get away.

"Valentine?" Tom asked, looking at the Synth detective with a concerned expression.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I got distracted." Nick admitted. Wherever that thought came from, he'd have to find it and eliminate it as soon as possible. Never in his faximilie of an existence would he EVER hurt Nora. His Nora, so kind and good in a world bent on turning people bad. If she wanted him to play at something like that maybe he could do it for her, but that was different somehow than what he'd just thought. That in and of itself gave him pause about even getting the so called upgrade, but Tom was already getting to work clearing out his workspace and setting up curtains for privacy.

"You'll be a new man when I'm through with you, Valentine. Mark my words."

Tom did not exaggerate. When Nick was brought out of the rest mode Tom had put him in to perform the operation, he was externally very different. Looking in the provided mirror was like waking up after getting the Institute boot all over again. Not only was his face a spotless and undamaged version of the face he'd always had, with all the individuality that made him look like the old Valentine intact and more lifelike than ever, his skin was no longer the stark shade of white it once was before. It was still inhumanely white, but there was more definition and shading to the planes of his face. He almost looked like an albino human now, albeit a still bald one. He touched his face with his metal hand and realized that, of course, it was no longer a metal frame. His hand was smooth and the skin there did indeed feel more humanlike, it was even slightly warm. How did Tom manage it?

Looking down he realized Tom had given him new torso plates, and they sported the hint of abdominal muscles. They were still obviously separate plates and he was still obviously a Gen 2 synth, but it was a small human touch he appreciated more than he expected. Furthur down still was the bit he'd been apprehensive about, but seeing it on him now felt... complete somehow. Like he had been missing this since the day he was activated. At the moment his new appendage was flaccid and unassuming, though still as long and thick as it would be when aroused. That was the side effect of not having real flesh, you couldn't be a grower.

Everything was new and clean, and he almost felt bad that over time it would all be damaged again. For now however, he could enjoy this. The increased sensation, the ability to tell the difference between warm skin and cold metal. It wasn't quite as real as real, but it was a damn good second place.

"Well, what do you think?" Tom asked, sounding almost nervous about Nick's response.

"Damn, Doc. This is some amazing work, you've really outdone yourself." Nick replied honestly. "I wasn't sure about the whole package deal going in, but I'm sold now." He hopped off the operating table and grabbed his clothes.

"You'll be even more sold when you finally get to use it's full function." Tom winked.

"I get the feeling you think my relationship with N-uh Whisper is different than it is." Nick commented, pulling on his coat.

Tom raised his brows at that. Anyone with functioning eyes could see how Whisper looked at Valentine, and how Valentine looked at her.

"I never mentioned Whisper." Tom replied with a smirk. Nick chuckled and rubbed his forehead, the old never mentioned a name line got him, huh?

"Alright, anything I should know before I head out? Any take two and call me in the morning type deals?" Nick asked, changing the subject.

"I'd tell you to take it easy in general, but since you're glued to Whisper's hip that ain't happening." Tom answered.

Nick shrugged, it was true of course. They went damn near everywhere together and it was always nerve wracking when Nora had to leave him behind. When it was his turn to leave Nora behind to come here, he waited until she was away helping someone else so she didn't get suspicious. Nick finished putting his clothes back on, paid Tom for his work and extra as a tip for going above and beyond, and headed back home to wait for Nora to return.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are about to get pretty fucked up, so if you're not into that I'm not sure why you're here but avert your eyes.

Nora returned to Diamond city aching and in desperate need of a shower. She'd helped Preston clear a settlement of a supermutant infestation and armed the settlement to the teeth with defense turrets so they wouldn't have that problem again. Setting up a generator that would provide more than enough power for the settlers, and building amenities like a mess hall and shopping center had been a long and laborious task but by the end of it Preston and the settlers were more than happy with the results and therefore Nora was happy. She unloaded what she'd scavenged while away at the general goods store, sold some guns and bought some better ones from Arturo, and then headed to Home Plate to wash up and relax. Luckily, along with blessed electricity every house came with flowing water and even water heaters. 

Nora drew herself a bath slid into the too-hot water with a long sigh, her poor muscles thankful for the relief. She washed off the dried blood and who knew what else, drained the tub and then drew another bath just to relax in. A radio played classical music in the background and she sipped on chilled wine from the refrigerating unit she'd had Sturges rig up by reverse engineering a beer cooling unit she'd found for the hotel in Goodneighbor. 

This was bliss. 

The only thing that could make it better was a massage. God, she hadn't had a massage in a long time. Literally hundreds of years but it only felt like a couple. She imagined hands raking over her body, pressing into the knots in her muscles. A metal hand being extremely careful not to cut or damage her skin. She smiled at that. Of course her imaginary masseur was Nick. There was no one in the whole commonwealth she would trust more to touch her so intimately. Her own hands moved from her collarbone to her chest, massaging her breasts and running the pad of her thumb over a sensitive nipple as she imagined Nick's hand. His voice came to her mind, that smoky and husky voice with his particular Boston detective's accent. He was like something straight out of a noir film and that had always turned her on more than she would care to admit. 

Her free hand, what would be Nick's good hand, wandered lower down her body and found itself at the dark curls adorning her pubic region. She whispered Nick's name as her fingers rubbed slow circles over the neglected bud just beyond those soft kinked curls, her other hand still massaging her breasts. It didn't take long before she was on the edge of the orgasm she so badly needed, the secret images in her mind of her partner touching her and bringing her that pleasure driving her furthur. That delicate coil of hot pleasure in her core tightened and she was so close, so fucking close. 

A knock on the door startled her and she sat still for a moment, hoping whoever felt the need to interrupt her would go away so she could finish her very important task. No such luck of course as another knock echoed through Nora's humble abode. She sighed angrily and got up, wrapping a towel around her body and stomping over to the door. 

"What?" She demanded, practically flinging the door open with no concern for the fact she was in just a towel and her apartment was smack dab in the middle of the shopping center. Nick stood frozen in surprise for a moment, his hand still in a position to knock again. For a second Nora didnt recognize him and her eyes widened at the random Gen 2 synth standing at her door before it clicked who she was looking at. 

"Nick?" She nearly gasped as she looked over her partner. He was wearing his signature trench coat and hat but his face was unmistakably repaired. "What?" She couldn't think of what else to say. 

"Hey doll" Nick greeted in that warm voice that sent tingles through her body. "Did I interrupt something?" He chuckled. She shook her head, too surprised to really say much else. 

"Come in" she said finally, retreating into her apartment and gesturing for him to step inside. 

He shut the door behind him and stood a bit awkwardly, watching Nora stare at him with her mouth half open. He was all too aware that she was in just a towel and still very wet, rivulets of water streaming down her body from her hair. Her body almost shimmered in the lights she had set up around her apartment, the little fairy lights she had taken great pains to scavenge from a nearby home decor shop that Nick never would have bothered to look through in the first place. She wasn't wearing makeup of course, and he took a moment to appreciate her freckled face and the way her cheeks were a deep shade of pink from the heat of her bath and the wine she had set out next to the tub. He wondered what her lips felt like against his new and improved ones, and was only shaken from his reverie by her confused voice. 

"Nick. You're... you look different. Good I mean, but different." She stuttered through, more than a little overwhelmed by the fact that the man she'd been touching herself to just moments ago was standing in her home and he looked brand fucking new. Not a missing section of synthetic skin to be seen, not even a scratch marring his face and neck. Nick raised his right hand, once metal and skeletal now covered with synthetic skin, and flexed it a bit. 

"Like it?" He asked with a proud little smirk that melted Nora's heart. This clearly made him happy, and she liked that most of all. 

"I love it. You look like a million bucks!" Nora complimented, an oldschool expression only Nick and Nora ever used anymore. It was caps for everyone else, aside from them and maybe a few prewar ghouls. Old habits died hard. "Can I ask why though?" Nora added, tilting her head curiously. 

"Eh, it just felt like time to patch up all the damage. Don't really need to rust from the inside out, you know?" Nick replied. He omitted that it was largely for her. 

She closed the distance between them, forgetting entirely what she was wearing, and touched his face. Her fingers trailed across the smooth planes of his chin and cheeks, and she noticed that his skin was slightly warm. It used to be room temperature at all times and she wondered how the effect was achieved. He still didn't have blood she assumed, so it wasn't that. Nick placed his hand gently on Nora's, his glowing golden eyes looking into her beautiful hazel ones. It's hard to say who leaned in first but their lips had at some point met in a soft, testing kiss. 

"Your skin" Nora whispered when the kiss broke. 

"My skin?" Nick repeated, urging her to elaborate on that thought. 

"It's softer and warmer." She said, her face flushing anew. 

"Yeah, that's all Tom. Asked him to patch me up and he kinda went overboard." Nick chuckled. 

"It's good" Nora replied, unable to think of anything better to say. "You look good." 

Nick could tell Nora's heart was beating quickly, one of the many standard background sensors he was equipped with as a Gen 2. Her breath was also quickening as his hand lingered on hers. He leaned in and kissed her again, this time feeling bold enough to let his tongue trace her bottom lip in a bid for entry. She shivered, and Nick soon knew why. Tom had replaced his tongue too and it was wet now. Something Nora wouldn't necessarily know it wasn't before, but Nick knew. There seemed to be a little mechanism on the roof of his mouth that created a warm condensation and he hadn't even realized. 

His thoughts were pulled away from the new discovery when Nora moaned into his mouth, her need to breathe outweighing her desire to keep kissing Nick as she pulled back. Something about the little string of spit that followed when she pulled away had him all too aware of the growing pressure his new appendage was putting on his trousers. It would take getting used to hiding it all over again for the first time, he thought. Sure, it was a common occurrence for human Nick but Synth Nick wasn't used to it in the slightest. 

"Was that always something you wanted to do, or is it part of your upgrade?" Nora asked, practically panting.

"Oh, you have no idea." Nick replied. There was something odd in his voice when he said that, something he didnt recognize. Something almost sinister, as if it were a comment with a hidden meaning. Nora didn't seem to notice. 

"I'm really glad to hear that, but you didn't have to wait you know?" Nora said with a shy smile. It did something to Nick thinking about the irony of a woman like Nora being so sweet and bashful. This was a woman who could single handedly clear out a hoard of deadly enemies and hunt down a man just to put a bullet in his brain, only to fish out his grey matter and trespass in his most private memories. He clenched his fist and furrowed his brows. Where the fuck had that thought come from? He wasn't exactly sympathetic to Kellogg's plight. 

"Nick?" Nora's voice called out to him when he stood still for a moment just staring at her. "Did I say something wrong?" She nibbled her bottom lip. God she looked fucking sweet like that, so innocent and lovely worrying her lip and staring at him with those big doe eyes. It was all a fucking lie of course, she was a killer just like him. A cold blooded bitch playing at being sweet and soft. He grabbed her throat and she gasped, her eyes growing impossibly larger at the sudden aggressive action. Her hands shot up to grasp at his hand and the towel fell to the ground. Nick grinned as he took in her pure panic. She was naked and unarmed, and she stood no chance against Nick's superior synthetic strength. 

He furrowed his brows, struggling to make sense of what he was feeling. What was he doing? This was Nora, his Nora. His beautiful, sweet, wonderful Nora. His grip relaxed and she fell to the floor, gasping and coughing as tears formed in her eyes.

"N-Nick" she said between gasps. "What the- what the fuck?" She looked at him with a mix of fear and confusion and disappointment that hurt Nick deeply. A nasty red imprint of his hand was already forming on her neck. One moment the image caused guilt to claw at him, and the next he felt a thrill at the idea of marking her this way. She didn't have the upper hand here, she was a weak little mouse caught in a trap. He grabbed her hair and yanked her head back. 

"Got something for you, pinup" he said in a voice he didn't entirely recognize. Nora looked so fucking small and confused and afraid. She was so scared and FUCK that turned him on. She recognized that his voice sounded strange, but it was still enough like his own to throw her off. Almost as if someone were doing an impression of Nick's voice. 

"Nick please" Nora begged. "What are you doing?"  
Nick grinned, holding her in place by her soft and still wet hair. With his other hand he undid his belt and yanked his trousers down, revealing the impressive new cock he'd recently acquired. Nora squealed, actually fucking squealed like a little piglet that didn't want to be picked up, as she came face-to-face, so to speak, with the intimidating appendage. In its own right an eight inch cock is pretty impressive, but at the moment it was purely terrifying. 

"Nick no" Nora said desperately "Please, where did- why did you" she stuttered, looking around for an out. She didn't really have to ask, it was obvious where that thing came from and why he wanted it. 

"Scream and I'll crush your windpipe" Nick said in that same imitation of his own voice.

He struggled against the darkness invading his mind, trying to make any sense of what was happening. He didn't want this. He wanted Nora, but he wanted her soft and mewling under him, looking at him with loving eyes as she came for him. Not this. Not. Fucking. This. 

It didn't matter what he wanted. It wasn't about him. 

"You can bite if you want, I'll have to break your jaw though." He warned, then pried her mouth open and forced himself inside. She made an attempt to scream around his cock, but it did a great job of muting her cries. 

Why did he have to make it so thick, Nora wondered. It was almost uncomfortable just fitting it in her mouth. Why was Nick doing this? He was a gentle man and endlessly kind, this made no sense. He'd never indulge in a kink like this without discussing it, and a safe word, first. 

Nick grabbed her neck with his free hand, which required him to bend over a bit, and squeezed to remind her he could follow through on his warnings. She gagged as he dragged her head back and forth, pressing as far into the back of her throat as he could. She heaved and her eyes watered so he pulled back. 

"Wouldn't want you puking now would we?" He lifted her to her feet and stared into her eyes. She was crying, tears streaming down her cheeks as she sniffled. She was so weak and small like this. How could this pathetic creature be so devastating when she wanted to be? 

"N-nick" she sobbed "Nick please. Stop. I, I don't like this. I don't WANT this. I don't know wh-what I did to make you th-think this is okay but-" 

Nick slapped her hard across the face, letting her collapse to the ground from the impact. The pain was searing and for a moment she wondered if her eye might burst, but it didn't. It hurt like hell though and she saw lights swim in her vision for a bit. 

"Sorry pinup, couldn't quite hear you. Come again?" Nick said with a cruel smile. She slowly got to her hands and knees, her head hanging low as tears fell to the ground. 

"This isn't you." She insisted. "Nick would never hurt me like this." 

He quickly grabbed her hair again and forced her to look at him. "Think what you want." He pulled her to her feet . "It won't stop me from fucking you like the whore you are. Question is, how?" He tisked for a moment while she thrashed and attempted to get away from him. He wondered if she would pull her own hair out to get away. She kicked at him, punched him, swore and yelled. It did no good, of course.

"Ah" he said as his eyes fell on the still full bathtub. "Perfect" he dragged her to the tub and forced her on her knees in front of it. He positioned her to lean uncomfortably over the side of the tub with her ass in the air. She had to brace herself on the bottom of the tub, her arms mostly submerged in lukewarm water. 

"Nick no. Please no. God, please." She begged frantically as Nick knelt behind her and positioned himself at her entrance. She wasn't wet, and she knew this would hurt. Especially given the size of what he was threatening to shove inside her. 

For a moment Nick fought back once more against the darkness clouding his thoughts and pushing him toward this. The way Nora called his name as if reaching out for his help. He had to help. 

"Nora" his voice, Nick's real voice, called to her. "I don't- fuck I-" he couldn't form full sentences. Something was forcing him down, keeping him at bay. "Nora" he repeated. 

"Nick. Nick! Please you have to stop!" Her body was shaking, her whole fucking body was shaking in fear. His Nora needed him. He could never forgive himself if he did this. 

Nick growled, an anger and hatred rising up in him, and forced her head down into the bath water. She thrashed, bubbles boiling up from under the water as she panicked. He dragged her head back out of the water and let her gasp for breath before shoving into her. He clasped his hand over her mouth as she screamed in pain and didn't give her a moment to adjust before pulling almost all the way out and slamming into her again.

The pain was unbearable. She'd been shot, burned, concussed, stabbed, you name it, but this was something else entirely. It was so deep and internal in a way even a bullet never could be. Her body had over 200 years in a freezer to become unaccustomed to being filled in this way, and she wasn't lubricated enough for it to be comfortable even if the cock forcing it's way inside her wasn't nearly so big. She wished more than anything she could just pass out, but then her head would be plunged into the water and that was an immediate wake up call. 

He repeated the process over and over, thrusting in to the hilt each time and hitting her cervix painfully as he did. When she got too loud he shoved her head back under the water and picked up the pace. He dragged his fingers down her back, leaving angry red welts down her beautiful soft skin. When her struggling slowed he pulled her head out of the water and let her breathe again. 

"You're so tight, pinup. Do you know that?" Nora was too preoccupied with the assault on her body to notice the voice no longer sounded like Nick. 

"Stop" she coughed and sobbed "You're hurting me. It hurts so much" she managed between thrusts. "Why? Why why why?" She began a mantra of that same word over and over. 

Why?

Nick shook his head. Why was he doing this? He loved Nora. He loved her so much. He would never hurt her. He could never do this to her. 

"It hurts" her mantra changed and she was just repeating those words over and over, interchangeably with "You're hurting me" and occasionally just "Nick" 

He slowed for a moment. A sick, horrible feeling welling in the pit of his stomach. He was hurting her. His Nora. HIS Nora.

"No" his voice, broken and distant but his, said as he slowed his pace. Nora was exhausted, her body was at the limit of what it could handle. This might even have been more bearable if he wasn't a synth with strength enough to crush a rock with his bare hands. He wasn't holding back either, he wanted this to hurt. She wished so much she just knew why. 

Again he growled in frustration and shoved her head underwater, picking up his pace to a brutal degree. She would be bruised and broken after this. She would suffer and hurt inside and out for what she did. He could feel himself reaching his end and he dragged her head out of the water again, leaning over to whisper in her ear. 

"You want to know why?" He asked mockingly "You fucked with the wrong man. Should've walked away. Should have walked. The fuck. Away." He punctuated every few words with a punishing thrust before a wave of sick pleasure washed over him as she cried out in pure agony and he came buried deep inside her aching and bruised core. He pulled out and left her slumped over the side of the tub, admiring his work as a pinkish mixture of synthetic cum and her very real blood began to leak out of her. 

He staggered back and slumped against the wall across from the tub, panting and sitting with his head hung for a long moment. All he could hear was Nora's broken sobs and sniffling. At some point she slid off the side of the tub and collapsed onto the floor.


	3. Chapter 3

Nick opened his eyes after what felt like an eternity, confusion washing over him. What happened? Where was he? His gaze fell on the person lying motionless the floor and he was suddenly painfully aware of where he was and what he was looking at. 

"Nora!" He called in a panic, scanning her for a heartbeat. He found it quickly, she was at least alive. He made to move toward her and suddenly realized his cock was still out and covered in the same pinkish substance leaking from Nora's core. His whole system felt like it was going into shock as the realization of everything he'd just done came crashing into him. If he could throw up, he would have. He shakily tucked himself back into his trousers and got to his knees. "Nora" he said her name quietly, his voice strained. She shifted slightly, curling up tighter with her back turned to him. Her back was covered with scratches that were bleeding slightly and Nick let out a pained noise at the sight. He felt like someone had a tight grip on his internal wiring and was yanking it out of him. He did this. He was responsible for this. 

He crawled over to Nora, he had to know she was okay. Fuck, how could she be okay? She was alive but if she needed medical help he couldn't leave her here. He would never leave her like this. If she wanted to press a gun to his head and pull the fucking trigger he'd give one to her willingly, but he had to help her first. He slowly reached out and touched her shoulder carefully. "Nora?" 

She flared to life at his touch, kicking and screaming and hitting him. He took it, he didn't try to restrain her. He didn't shush her. If someone came to her aid he wouldn't do a thing. They'd destroy him for this and he didn't blame them. Part of him welcomed it. 

After a moment she stopped struggling when she realized he wasn't trying to hold her down. She risked a quick look at his face, and the pain she saw there would have knocked her on her ass if she wasn't there already. He was so defeated, so lost and hurt.

"I'm so sorry" he whispered, his voice was weak and shaky and Nora knew this was HER Nick. 

"I need to clean up, then we have to see Doctor Amari." Nora said quietly. Nick was surprised by this, he expected her to tell him to get out, to kill him even. Not this. 

"Amari?" He repeated dumbly. 

"Kellogg is still in there" she explained, her voice strained and tired. Nick furrowed his brows in confusion. Kellogg? 

"Fuck" he said after a moment. 

"Yeah. I realized it when he said I should have walked away, and it wasn't your voice at all. He wasn't even trying anymore to hide it." Nora furthur explained. "I knew something was wrong the whole time, but that's when I knew what." She shivered and shifted uncomfortably, her hand reflexively moving to touch herself where it hurt most. She pulled back immediately as she touched the sticky concoction that was no small part her blood. Her fingers glistened with the mess under the fairy lights.  
Nick buried his face in his hands, a sound of despair somewhere between a sob and a groan escaping him. 

"I'm sorry" he whispered weakly "I'm so sorry. So so sorry." He felt broken in a way nothing could repair. Nora reached out and touched Nick's leg with her clean hand. 

"It wasn't you. You have nothing to be sorry for. He used you to get to me. He violated you too. I'M sorry I didn't take it more seriously when he spoke to me after we looked through his memories."

Nick shook his head "You told me, I told you not to worry." He argued. How stupid he had been. 

"Nick, please don't blame yourself for this." Nora begged. It hurt her to see the man she loved like this. 

"There were moments" he whispered "I wasn't strong enough to fight it, but there were moments I almost did." He buried his face in his hands again. "I did this. I got the upgrades" he said the last word with heavy sarcasm "And it let him do what he wanted to. He couldn't have- fuck." 

Nora realized Nick was crying, and she wondered if he had tears to accompany it. 

"Nick, no-" she began, but he looked up at her with a sharp expression that made fear shoot through her. Nick caught the look in her eyes and schooled in his expression. He wasn't angry at her, not by a long shot. Nora stood slowly, her legs shaking as she did, and Nick was beside her in a moment. He stood there helplessly with his arms halfway toward grabbing her to support her before stopping himself. Nora watched him for a moment, both frozen in this strange unsure position. 

"Is he gone?" Nora asked the question she didn't want to but had to ask. 

"I didn't know he was there to begin with" Nick admitted. He suddenly took out the revolver from his trenchcoat, which made Nora gasp and nearly fall into the now cold bath water as she stumbled backwards. 

"Shit, Nora I'm sorry." He apologized quickly "Here" he handed her the gun. "If he shows up again" he pointed between his eyes, to the the area he knew his motor processor was. "Don't hesitate." 

Nora stared at Nick for a moment, unable to imagine doing such a thing to him. She loved him. 

"I love you" she blurted out. It sounded exactly as much like an argument as opposed to a confession as she meant it to. Nick blinked a few times as he considered what she was really saying at that moment. 

"I love you too. I love you so much it hurts. This hurts." He gestured to Nora's abused body. 

"Yeah it does" she replied with a chuckle that sounded sadder than she'd meant it to. She wanted to lighten the mood, but only served to deepen the pained look on Nick's face. 

"Nora" he said softly. "Promise me" he insisted. 

"I promise, if he shows up again I'll stop him." She supplied in lieu of a direct promise to kill Nick. That would have to suffice, he realized. Nora was stubborn. She turned and removed the plug in the bath, watching the water circle the drain in a mesmerizing vortex. She filled the bath with more hot water and turned to Nick. 

"I need help getting in" she said, holding his gun to her as if it were a comforting plushie. 

"Are you sure?" Nick asked, holding his hands up "You want me to touch you?" 

"I always have, Nick. That hasn't changed because a dead asshole hijacked your body to rape me." She stood still again for a moment as she said it out loud. Somehow that made it more real. She'd been raped by a man wearing the face of someone she loved. "Oh God" she felt her knees shake and she knew she would collapse again. Nick was there in an instant once again and his arms circled around her. 

"I've got you, sweetheart." He said gently. "I've got you." 

"I'm sorry I just-" Nora choked out.

"I know, doll. It's okay." He placed the gun back in her hand and picked her up, placing her carefully into the warm bath water. She took in a sharp breath as the warm water touched her scratches and bruises. It stung, but it was better to be clean. 

"Does it hurt?" Nick asked with that beautiful caring voice of his.

"A little, but it's okay. I'll live." She sighed and closed her eyes, letting the cool metal of the gun soothe her. Nick's hands worked soap gently and carefully over her body, never lingering anywhere too long. When his hands reached her thighs he stopped. 

"You can- you know" he pulled his hand back to let her clean between her legs, but her hand caught his and she looked at him with a determined expression. 

"I won't let him make me afraid of your touch" she insisted. She held the gun to show him she could protect herself this time if it came down to it, then guided his hands back under the water. She touched herself with his hand, scrubbing the residue on her thighs clean before pressing his fingers inside her. His eyes were wide as she moved his fingers very carefully, cleaning as much as she could and soothing the ache inside her. Maybe it was mostly a psychological soothing, but it helped to have her Nick touch her. To know he was still him and she didn't need to be afraid of him. 

"You're so beautiful" Nick praised "So wonderful and kind, everything that's still good in this world." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you. So much." 

Nora smiled, looking into Nick's eyes with all the love she didn't even need to say out loud for him to know was there. They sat in silence for a long time, the sound of water trickling over Nora's body and the classical music in the background all there was to accompany them. When the water started to cool Nick grabbed a clean towel and wrapped her up in it, picked her up out of the tub and brought her to her bed. He laid her down, stroking her face which was starting to bruise and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. He kissed her forehead and took a stimpack from the med kit beside her bed, injecting it for her and soothing the mark the needle left. She sighed sleepily, the gun still clutched in her hand. Nick picked it up and set it on the mattress next to her. He hummed a tune, his voice low and a bit gravely, as she drifted off to sleep. 

When she was finally asleep he took his gun back and left her apartment. He wouldn't risk taking Nora with with him to meet with Amari. He wouldn't give Kellogg a chance to hurt her again. If Amari couldn't get Kellogg out, he'd put a bullet through his own head to make sure the sick fuck was gone for good.


	4. Chapter 4

Nora woke up aching all over, and for a moment she cursed those super mutants she and Preston dealt with before remembering the real reason she was in pain. 

"Oh" She said out loud. She sat up and looked around. "Nick?" She called out. He didn't answer, and that worried her. Why didn't he stay to make sure she was okay? Maybe he didn't trust Kellogg. She sighed and rubbed her face, trying to banish the sleepiness. Where would he have gone? There were things they'd need to talk out, especially for him. He blamed himself, for not being able to stop Kellogg, for not being able to keep control. He didn't see how he'd been violated, wouldn't hear it when she tried to bring it up. Like he couldn't accept that he was a victim too. Did he think that way because he was a man, or because he was a machine? He was confusing in that way. 

She stood up and got dressed, she'd have to visit Doctor Sun and see if he could help speed up her recovery. He'd have questions and she wasn't sure she was ready to answer them, but luckily Doctor Sun was a traditional doctor and she trusted him not to let gossip spread. She grabbed something for breakfast and headed to see Sun. 

* * *

Of course he had questions when his favorite patient came to him looking like a domestic abuse case. Unfortunately he was fairly used to the look of someone who'd been roughed up by a partner with anger issues. He'd taken her into the clinic for privacy instead of treating her in the public area he usually worked from. 

"How'd you get this?" He asked, turning her face under the light and looking at the swollen lip and bruised cheek. 

"Oh you know" Nora shrugged. 

"That doesn't answer my question" Sun replied dryly. "What about this?" He asked, reaching for the obvious hand print shaped bruise on her neck. She flinched as he reached for her neck, more than either of them had expected. He tisked. 

"Who hurt you, Nora?" He asked, looking at her like a disappointed dad. He was a good decade or so older than her and it showed in the way he cared for her. He tried not to get attached to his patients, which was why he was kind of a cold prick at times, but he did care and seeing Nora like this upset him despite his efforts to remain neutral. 

"It's complicated, but technically a dead man." Nora replied. 

"Technically?" Sun repeated skeptically. 

"His name is, was, Kellogg. Maybe you recognize the name maybe not." Nora clarified. 

"The mercenary?" Sun furrowed his brows. He knew the man mostly by name, but he did know he was a man not to be trifled with. 

"Yup. I splattered his brains all over the walls so." Nora shrugged. Technically this was true. 

"Well, I'd say you're even then." Sun replied, sounding satisfied. 

"Not quite, but good enough." Nora sighed. "He uh..." she cleared her throat uncomfortably "The biggest reason I'm here is actually. I might have internal damage. Not the kind you're used to with me." She didn't look at Sun, it was impossible to look someone in the eyes while admitting this. 

It was a good thing Nora wasn't looking at his face, because Doctor Sun's expression was a clear giveaway that he understood what she was getting at and he was very angry about it. He brought his expression quickly back to neutral as Nora's eyes flicked to his face.

"Okay, well I'll need to touch you to examine you" Sun said, setting up the surgery chair for the job. He locked the door so no one would walk in, clearing it with her first. It wasn't the first time he'd dealt with a rape victim, but it was the first time he cared about them like family. They'd gone out for drinks at the dugout many times and Nora had a way of drawing people to her. She was kind and had a wonderful sense of humor. Nothing about their relationship was romantic of course, nor did he want it to be given he was into men and Nora was definitely not a man.

Nora sat back on the examination table and listened to Sun explain the procedure. 

"I may need to use a stain of toluidine blue since it will highlight any abraded skin and microlacerations." 

Nora nodded "They used to use that technique back before the bombs fell. I prosecuted a few cases with evidence taken this way." She sighed and let her head fall back against the pillow on the surgery chair. 

"Right. Sometimes I forget you're a pre-war relic" Sun chuckled. Nora relaxed a little and gave her own little laugh in response. Sun set up stirrups and had Nora place her feet in them after she'd removed her pants and underwear. He brought a stool up and began examining her. He was careful to pay attention to how she reacted to his examination, especially the more involved it got. 

"Christ" he sighed "With just the naked eye I can see there are pretty serious vaginoperineal lacerations. Bruising and abrasions to the posterior fourchette and labia minora. Even the cervix sustained damage. This must have been horribly painful to endure." 

"You can't even imagine" Nora said quietly.

Sun looked up at Nora. Her eyes were cast to the side and Sun realized he would have to be careful of what he said and how. 

"I know" he replied simply. "No point in using the stain with this kind of damage, but the good news is there's no need for surgery. There rarely is actually. You'll be in pain for a while but I can prescribe you a painkiller, some Med X and diluted stimpaks you'll take regularly to aid in the healing process. A full stimpak can be aggressive and should be used for emergency situations, not for long term healing." He gestured to let Nora know she could get up and get dressed. "I want you to lie low for a while, no strenuous merc work, just take some time off and recover. Then I want you to visit Doctor Amari in Goodneighbor. She's not just good with memories, she's the best therapist I've ever known. To be fair I haven't known many." Sun shrugged.

When Nora was dressed Sun handed her the paper he'd written with everything he'd just said. 

"Can I act as your friend for a moment, Nora?" He asked.

She nodded "Of course"

Sun wrapped Nora in a hug, careful to read her reaction if she needed him to let go. She hugged him back and buried her face in his shoulder. He rubbed her back. "I'm glad that bastard is dead. I might have killed him myself otherwise." He chuckled "Actually I'd probably have died trying but I'd try anyway." 

"Thank you, Hui" Nora sniffled. "Seriously." 

"You're welcome, Nora. Seriously." Sun replied, stepping back and sighing deeply to keep the tears that threatened to breach his lower lids at bay. "Go home and relax, that's an order "

Nora chuckled and saluted "Sir yes sir" she said before heading out of the clinic to heed the good doctor's advice.

* * *

Nick made his way to Goodneighbor, luckily it wasn't a terribly long way to travel. He wanted this monster out of his head and then he wanted to go home and spend the rest of Nora's life making up however he could for what he'd done to her. Images of the night before flashed through his head and at times he had to stop walking and try to shake the haunting sound of Nora begging for him to stop violating her from his mind. The images came unbidden of her bent over the bath, her head underwater while he was buried deep inside her. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was a dirty, filthy creature. Physically and metaphorically. He didn't feel nearly so inhuman when he looked far less human. He'd stopped by the Duggout and rented a room just to try to wash up before leaving, but scrubbing himself until his sensors were screaming for him to stop didn't make him feel clean. Nothing could. 

He trudged on toward Goodneighbor and when he finally made it he didn't stop for a second to greet anyone. He was on a mission and he would complete it at any cost. That mission was intercepted by Hancock, the nosy Ghoul. Normally Nick liked Hancock, but at the moment he didn't want anything to do with anyone but Amari. 

"Ey, Nikki! I didn't even recognize you at first. Ya look great!" Hancock greeted. 

  
"Great. Thanks." Nick replied shortly. 

  
"Okay, scratch that" Hancock replied, stepping in front of Nick and stopping him. "You look like shit. What's your problem?" 

Nick's temper was short and he clenched his fists. 'Punch him. Go ahead, you useless pile of scrap metal.' Nick glared at Hancock, and Hancock's brow furrowed. 

  
"Woah, Nick. Seriously what's wrong?" 

  
"I raped Nora" he replied sharply, staring at Hancock to see his reaction. It was pure confusion. 

  
"You... what the fuck are you talking about?" Hancock asked, trying to understand what kind of joke this was supposed to be. "You can't even-" he began, but Nick cut him off at the pass. 

  
"I can now. Got a lot of new upgrades including a fully functional cock and I used it to rape Nora." He growled, Hancock was really pissing him off. 

  
"Nick. Please tell me I'm tripping here." Hancock gaped. He just couldn't believe Nick was capable of that. 

  
"Why don't you ask her yourself when you see her next time? I bent her over and fucked her like an animal. Ask her how I hurt her." his voice was raw and pained and angry all at once. Before he could register what was happening, he felt Hancock's fist slam into the side of his face. 

Good. He deserved it. He needed this.

"I shoved her head under her bath water and waited for the bubbles to almost stop" he admitted, spurring on Hancock to punch him again. It worked. Hancock was impressive when he was pissed, being able to knock a Gen 2 on his ass was no small feat.

  
"What the fuck is your problem?" Hancock panted. "What the FUCK?" 

Nick shook his head and chuckled, though there was no humor in it. "I beat her, I choked her, I almost drowned her and I fucked her so hard she bled." He was trembling with disgust for himself. Hancock unloaded a flurry of punches into Nick, and Nick felt his face plate loosen. He didn't care. This hurt and he needed to hurt. 

  
"Son of a bitch! You sick son of a bitch! She loved you and you raped her? Is that why you're here? Thought we'd take you in you sick fuck?" Hancock didn't let up. Nick's system was blaring, telling him to fight back. He didn't. This hurt. It really fucking hurt. He deserved to hurt. 

Hancock only stopped when his fists were bloody from punching a metal man for what must have been a few minutes. They'd drawn a crowd but he didn't care. 

  
"Get the fuck out of my city." He panted angrily. "Or I'll fucking kill you myself."

  
"No" Nick replied sharply "Not until I get this thing out of my head. Then you can fucking kill me." 

  
That gave Hancock pause. "What are you talking about now?" He asked, beyond frustrated. 

  
"Turns out Kellogg is still floating around in my head and he has a vendetta against Nora that includs raping her, apparently." Nick explained. Hancock sighed. Of fucking course it wasn't Nick that had hurt Nora.

"You stupid son of a bitch." He got off Nick and offered him a hand up, dispersing the crowd. Nick got to his feet without taking Hancock's hand. He didn't deserve the kindness. "You're telling me you've got that crazy fucking merc in your head and he made you rape Nora?" He shook his head. "So it wasn't even your fault?" 

Nick clenched and unclenched his hands. "If you were high and raped someone, would it not be your fault?" He asked, relating the experience to something Hancock could understand. "You don't get to say it's not your fault because you weren't yourself."

  
"Yeah but I choose to get high, you didn't choose this did you?" Hancock reasoned. 

  
"By way of neglegance, yes." Nick shot back.

Hancock pat Nick's shoulder. "Alright. Where you headed man? I'll go with you. We'll figure this out."   
Nick hated that Hancock was such a good friend. Of course he was worried about both Nora and Nick, and wanted to make sure Nick would be okay. Nick would never be okay. 

  
"Amari's. Memory Den." Nick said simply. 

  
"Alright. Memory Den it is." Hancock replied, slapping Nick's back jovially as if he didn't just beat the shit out of him, and they made their way to the Memory Den.


	5. Chapter 5

"I should have foreseen this possibility" Amari said, her tone deeply remorseful. "I assumed there would be nothing left but maybe an echo, but it seems Kellogg planted a bomb in your network. He didn't bother to leave behind anything reasonable, just the most angry parts of him. I truly am sorry, I failed you both."

"No point in playing the blame game" Hancock commented "He blames himself, you blame yourself, Nora probably blames herself, but the only one to blame is Kellogg."

Nick's gaze snapped to Hancock. "What do you mean Nora blames herself?" How could she blame herself for this? He recalled her comment about not taking it seriously when she heard Kellogg the first time and his heart sank.

"I've seen it plenty of times. Rape ain't exactly uncommon, even if we do our damndest to make it uncommon." Hancock replied "Survivors blame themselves for so much shit that they couldn't have helped. I've heard people say they should've worn different clothes or just not been in the wrong place at the wrong time like they could've known. Like it would change shit." He rubbed the space between his brows. "It never gets easier."

"That is true" Amari agreed. She'd also known plenty of survivors of rape, and decades after an experience like that it could still have an impact. Nick hung his head, rubbing his hands over the back of his head.

"I need whatevers left of him out of me."

"Okay. I'll make sure this time that absolutely nothing remains of Kellogg." Amari promised. "I may have to access memories you don't want me to to get him out. He's clearly attached to what happened, you understand."

"Fine, just get him out" Nick insisted. It wasn't as if he wasn't reliving it constantly anyway. Hancock watched Amari work, Nick lying back in the lounger and going under whatever technology voodoo she worked on him. He wished there was more he could do for Nick, but the situation was so unique. He imagined what he'd do, how he'd feel, if someone forced him to rape his friend. He loved Nora, maybe more than he would ever admit considering her relationship with Nick, and the idea of doing something like that to her made his stomach churn. He'd probably go around picking fights too.

"He needs help" Hancock commented, watching the screen play back the night prior for a moment while Amari dug around for the remnants of Kellogg's programming. He watched Nick's face, the man was a wreck of pain and guilt.

"I know" Amari replied. "He's a victim too, even if he hasn't accepted it yet. I have my work cut out for me." Hancock nodded, casting his eyes away from the screen when Nick grabbed Nora by the throat and the real Nick in the chair fidgeted anxiously.

"What about Nora?" Hancock asked mostly himself. "She wouldn't do anything stupid would she?" The thought occurred to him and it made him nervous.

"Nora is a survivor, but that doesn't mean she can't be pushed to self harm if that's what you're asking." Amari replied in that disconnected doctor way of hers.

"Yeah, that's what I'm asking" Hancock sighed. He noticed the way Amari shifted in her seat, tapped her fingers and sighed deeply. Having to watch this horror show was upsetting to her, but she did an admirable job of acting like it wasn't. Hancock immediately regretted his eyes wandering to the screen again when Nora's head was under water and she was thrashing, her fingers scraping the sides of the tub and at the hands holding her down. He wanted to punch something again, but there was no one to punch. Nick was whispering something under his breath and at one point Hancock caught an "I'm sorry"

"There" Amari said suddenly. "I've got you" she began typing quickly, feverishly chasing down the ghost of Kellogg in Nick's mind. The screen flickered, interrupting Nick's nightmare in favor of Kellogg's face, scarred and grinning.

"She had to suffer. Couldn't leave well enough alone, had to come along and give the walls a fresh coat of brain paint." He laughed harshly "I was a decent enough man before then, but you plugged me into the clockwork dick's head like it was nothing and gave me a free ride to revenge." He was addressing Amari, taunting her "You can take me out but that won't change that this starts with you, Doc. You went rooting around in my private memories, violated _my_ privacy. Valentine was just collateral really."

Amari rolled her eyes, but Hancock noticed the way her hand clenched and uncleanched. This asshole was getting under her skin.

"Unplug this prick and get it over with" Hancock said, standing up and pacing. "If there was a way to torture him first I'd say do that, but I'll settle for sending his missing pieces to hell with the rest of him." Amari nodded and began the deletion process.

"I'm like a virus" Kellogg chuckled "I'll always be lingering somewhere deep inside. Maybe not so deep. He liked it, don't let him fool you. He got off on it, he just won't admit it. Now that he's had a taste, he won't be able to resist forever." Kellogg's image flickered out and the screen went black.

Amari sat back and placed her face in her hands, suddenly looking exhausted. Hancock stood next to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Hey sister, relax. He's gone, you did good." He assured her.

"I know, it's just-" Amari began, then glanced at Nick. "What if he did do damage I just can't see? What if-"

"He was talkin out his ass, he knew his time was up. Just wanted to do as much damage on his way out." Hancock insisted. "Nick ain't that kind of guy. Unless something forces him to do it, he'll never hurt her."

Amari sighed deeply and looked up. "Alright, let's give him the good news."

* * *

Nora paced the length of her apartment, which was quite a distance to pace actually. She glanced at her bath tub every time she passed it as if it might grow teeth and bite her.

"This is ridiculous!" She said, throwing her hands in the air in frustration. "It's a fucking bath tub, it can't hurt you Nora. Get your shit together." She paced some more, glaring at the tub. It had been days since everything happened, maybe a week, and she hadn't taken a bath. She had resorted to the washcloth bathing method she often used while traveling. Sure she was clean enough but it wasn't the same. And where the hell was Nick? He was avoiding her, she knew it. It wasn't fair, she needed him and he refused to see her. She needed his hugs and his warm voice, his special way of soothing her. She got dressed and marched over to the detective agency with a purpose.

Ellie was waiting as always, looking a bit like a nervous wreck. She knew something had happened to her boss and his partner, but no one was telling her what and it was driving her crazy. Maybe she'd hire a detective to find out, she thought sarcastically. Nora walked in and headed straight for the radio Ellie and Nick often used to get in touch with her when they needed her.

"This is a message for Nick Valentine. This is your partner. I need to see you immediately, it's really important. Please come home, Nick." She set it to loop then sat down at the desk with a dejected sigh.

"Bad day?" Ellie asked, pulling up a chair.

"Bad week, really" Nora admitted. "I take it you haven't seen Nick since he left huh?" Ellie asked, mostly rhetorically.

"Nope. You?"

"Nope"

They sat in silence for a while, both unsure of what to do or say. Finally Ellie spoke up.

"I have a case for you. When you want it." She offered, taking a file off Nick's desk and handing it to Nora. Nora took the folder, happy for the prospect of having something to do that wasn't sitting around dwelling on what happened. She read the file. Someone had broken into a home and stolen a family heirloom. The victim wanted help finding out whodunnit.

"Easy enough" Nora said, taking out her notebook and writing down important details. "This is perfect, Ellie. Thank you." She smiled and stood up, turning to head out the door.

"Wait" Ellie called to her before she could leave. "Will you tell me what's going on? Where's Nick? What's going on with you guys?" Nora sighed, feeling bad for Ellie. It must be hard to be out of the loop when something big was happening. She was a detective's secretary, after all. She liked having answers.

"You remember Kellogg?" Nora asked, turning back to Ellie.

"Of course" Ellie replied "Why?"

"He was sticking around in Nick's system and he made an appearance to rough me up." Nora avoided any mention of just what that entailed "Obviously he used Nick to do it, and now Nick feels guilty and won't talk to me."

"Oh" Ellie replied quietly. That made sense. "I'm sorry. That must have been scary. I can't imagine getting beat up by Nick, he's... well, Nick." Nora chuckled at that.

"That he is." She shrugged on the trenchcoat that matched Nick's and added the fedora for good measure. "I'm off to find a missing heirloom. If you see Nick, tell him I want to see him. I need his help with something important." With that, she left the office.

* * *

Nick knew he couldn't avoid Nora forever. She would track him to the ends of the earth just to scold him for being a bad partner if she had to. That was one of the innumerable things he loved about her. She couldn't leave things unresolved, and she would press on at all costs. He took a drag of his cigarette and threw it to the ground, stomping it out. He had to check on Nora, he didn't even know how she was doing. He hadn't seen her since he left for Goodneighbor over a week ago. Ten days ago, specifically.

He wasn't sure why he was really avoiding her, if he was perfectly honest. Maybe it was a mix of shame and fear, shame for what he'd done and fear that she'd reconsidered her forgiveness. He didn't deserve her forgiveness, he knew that, but he still wanted it. God, he wanted it. He wanted to hold her and kiss her, and just make her happy. That had been the plan, head straight back to her and make it up to her however she wanted. So why wasn't he there? He listened to the message she'd left for him. The most recent one.

"Nick Valentine, this is your _partner_. The partner you made a promise to. Or did you forget? Come home Nick." She was angry. He didn't blame her. He had made a promise and he still needed to keep it. They were so close now to finding Shaun, and this whole thing had put that on hold. He had to go back, to whatever was waiting for him. Back to his Nora.


	6. Chapter 6

Nora checked in at the agency like she did every day. It had been almost two weeks since she'd seen Nick and she was really starting to worry. She was sure he'd gone to Amari's, but that shouldn't have taken more than a couple days. What if something terrible had happened to him? The last time she'd ever see him would have been that night. That made her panic. That couldn't be how they say goodbye, it just couldn't be. She grabbed her pack and suited up in her best armor. She couldn't wait around for him anymore, she had to go find him. Goodneighbor was the first logical stop, and she'd hit every damn building on her way if she had to. God help that man if she found him lying in a pile of debris or something. She'd get him fixed up just so she could kick his ass herself.

She had to ignore the disapproving look Dr. Sun gave her when he saw she was already leaving the city. Thanks to the cocktail of medications he prescribed her, her body would be mostly healed by now but he really wished she would take it easy for a while anyway.

"I'm going to Goodneighbor to see Dr. Amari. Doctor's orders" she told him as she passed. This seemed to placate him enough and he waved her off as if she were interrupting his busy schedule. She smiled at that and waved back, deciding to pretend it was a wave goodbye. Nora passed by Publick Occurrences on her way out of the city, and was met by Piper who looked as annoyed at her as Nora felt at Nick.

"BLUE!" Piper shouted "Where the hell have you been?" She tapped her foot, her fists on her hips.

"Oh. Hey Piper." Nora greeted with a smile.

"Don't you 'hey Piper' me. I've been worried sick about you. You haven't come out of your house in like a week." Piper said, as if this was news to Nora.

"I have too" Nora argued, adjusting her knapsack.

"Yeah, to go the the doctor's and get food." Piper scoffed.

"Were you spying on me, Piper?" Nora asked, raising a brow.

"It was justified." Piper huffed. "Now, tell me what's going on."

"Nothing is going on Piper. Something went on and it's gone now. There's no conspiracy to uncover." Nora insisted, heading for the exit again. Piper followed of course.

"Oh, huh uh. That just makes me MORE suspicious! Nick's been gone since you stopped coming out of your house. There's a connection, Blue." Piper skid to a halt when Nora whipped around and gave her a hard, quelling look.

"Piper. Someone hurt me and Nick went to make sure it never happens again. Okay? Please drop it." Nora didn't feel like telling everyone who asked every detail of what happened, in no small part because it wasn't just her story to tell. She had Nick to consider, and how people reacted to his part in it was a huge portion of her reason to be discreet.

"Oh, Blue. I'm sorry. I'll shut up." Piper promised, finally taking the hint.

"Thanks" Nora replied gratefully.

"So where are you going now?" Piper asked, still following Nora.

"Goodneighbor. I have to talk to Doctor Amari." Nora answered honestly. There was no reason to lie about that anyway.

"Oh, cool. Cool." Piper shoved her hands in her pockets.

"Need backup?" She asked hopefully. Nora sighed "Come on" she gestured for Piper to follow.

* * *

Nora was more surprised than she should have been when she entered Goodneighbor, Piper in tow, and learned Nick was still here. He was so close by and he didn't bother to come see her. He didn't check if she was okay and didn't respond to her messages to come home. Did he even care?

It didn't take long to figure out he was staying at the Hotel Rexford, just sitting there pretending she didn't exist. That she didn't need him. She told Piper to wait in the Third Rail. This was between Nick and Nora and she didn't need a mediator for this.

"Which room is Nick Valentine staying in?" Nora demanded, her patience wearing thinner every second that she was here, knowing he really had just been avoiding her.

"Room six" the receptionist replied. She was smart enough not to get involved when the Sole Survivor of Vault 111 wanted something.

"Is he in?" Nora asked with a look in her eyes that didn't allow room for dishonesty. The receptionist nodded, her mouth suddenly feeling very dry. Nora marched down the hall and stood in front of the door that separated her from Nick. She wasn't sure what she'd do to him, but she'd do _something_ damn it! She pounded on the door, not saying who was on the other side. Not giving him a chance to run again. She heard shuffling inside the room and footsteps approach. Nick opened the door, a hand in his pocket. Nora knew his hand was on his gun. She knew him inside and out. He looked surprised to see her for a moment, and he opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. Nora looked fifty shades of furious, and he was almost certain she was here to kill him. He let go of his pistol and put his hands up.

"Hey doll" he greeted. Apparently that wasn't the right thing to say, though Nick wasn't sure anything would have been. Nora yelled something indistinct, just a sort of angry noise, and shoved him into the room slamming the door behind her. She stood there for a moment just seething, her fists clenched in rage.

"Sweetheart listen-" Nick began. He was cut off by a hard slap across his face. It stung but he was more worried that she hurt her hand. If she did, she didn't show it.

"Don't you DARE call me that right now! You don't have the right!" Nora was nearly screaming.

"I know" Nick replied, his eyes casting to the ground.

"No the fuck you don't" Nora hissed "You don't know shit, Valentine." She started pacing, staring at him like a lioness stalking its prey. It wasn't a great sign when she called him by his last name. "I can't believe you. I can't fucking believe I found you here, just standing around waiting for- for... what the FUCK are you waiting for?" There were tears in her eyes, equal parts frustration and sadness. Nick realized quickly that wasn't a rhetorical question.

"I was just leaving actually" Nick replied. It was true, in his defense. He was about to head back to Diamond City when she stormed in. The woman had an impeccable timing.

"Oh really? And where did you plan on going next, Nick? How long were you planning on running from me?" She wiped angrily at her tears and sniffled. "You promised me" she pushed him and he took a step backwards. "You promised!" She pushed him again and he took another step back. "I need you Nick. I need you and you ran from me!" She pushed him again and the back of his legs hit the bed. She began thumping on his chest hard enough for him to feel it reverberate in his chest cavity. "I love you and I need you and you DON'T care!" He caught her wrists at her last words. He could accept her being angry and frustrated with him, but he couldn't accept her thinking he didn't care.

"That's not true" Nick said simply.

"What part? The part where I love you and need you? You don't get to tell me-" Nora's words were cut off by Nick pressing his lips to hers to shut her up. That was enough to sooth at least some of her rage, and her body relaxed a bit.

"That I don't care" He corrected her after a moment. He used the back of her hand to wipe a tear from her cheek, a motion just comical enough to earn him a little huff of a laugh.

"If you cared, why didn't you come back to me? You don't know what it's been like." She buried her face in his chest and her tension melted furthur from her smaller frame.

"It would have been worse with me there" Nick argued. "It's my face you see in your nightmares now, isn't it?"

That seemed to irritate Nora all over again and she gave Nick a hard enough shove to cause him to fall back onto the bed. He was still holding her wrists, so when he went down she did too. She ended up more or less straddling his lap, her expression one of confused frustration as she sat there for a moment.

"What about your nightmares, Nick?" Nora asked, pressing her forehead to his.

"I don't sleep" He reminded her.

"Daymares, then." Nora corrected. "Because when I dream about you, it's usually very different." Her voice was soft now, the anger leaving her once more with every second that passed like this.

"How are they different?" Nick asked, finally letting go of Nora's wrists so he could tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"When I dream of you, it's _my_ Nick. Kind and loving Nick, who looks at me like I'm something precious and special." Nora explained, leaning in to kiss Nick again. "I dream of your hands on my body" she took Nick's hand, tracing his fingers over the front of her form fitting vault suit. "I don't have time for nightmares with dreams this good." She kissed him again, her body now fully relaxed against him.

"If I could dream, I think we'd have the same ones." Nick replied with a soft chuckle.

"Guess we'll have to settle for the real thing then, huh?" Nora replied with a smirk. She pinched the zipper of her vault suit between Nick's fingers and pushed his hand down, slowly revealing the skin beneath.

"What a shame" Nick replied with a humored smirk.

Nora made quick work of removing the pieces of armor that decorated her vault suit, somehow making it seem as intimate as removing a bra. Nick rested a hand on Nora's hip, the other propping him up on the bed. She made a show of peeling the vault suit from her torso, her hands working over her body as she pushed the fabric down her chest and stomach, bunching at her waist. There was no room in a vault suit for a bra, so Nora was on perfect display for Nick.

"Touch me" Nora half asked, half demanded. She needed this normalcy. Nick obliged, his hands moving up her body and taking their time exploring all the places no one ever really got to see. He brushed the pads of his thumbs over her nipples and she took in a sharp breath. For a second he worried he'd upset her, but the way she nibbled on her bottom lip with her eyes half-lided told a different story.

Spurred on by this, Nick leaned forward and captured a nipple in his mouth and flicked his tongue over the sensitive bud. He was rewarded with Nora grinding her hips against him, a soft little moan escaping her lips. Nick stood with Nora still straddling his waist, and she squeaked in surprise. He smiled down at her and kissed her before setting her on the bed and kneeling in front of her.

"Coat" she said simply, flexing her open palm as if demanding he hand her his trench coat. He chuckled and shrugged it off, throwing it onto the bed next to her. "Shirt too." She added.

Nick sighed, feigning inconvenience with a smirk. He unbuttoned his shirt and untucked it from his trousers, throwing it on the floor. Nora beckoned him closer with a long, elegant finger. Nick closed the distance and Nora grabbed the tie he stubbornly left on, pulling him closer and kissing him with a hungry passion. She loosened his tie and threw it somewhere across the room. Nick placed a hand on Nora's shoulder and pressed her back gently so she was propping herself up on her arms, then trailed his hands along her sides. He got to the waist of her suit and looked up at her for permission, which she gave with an eager nod.

He pulled the suit down, her panties getting caught somewhere in the process and being discarded along with the suit. Nick was sure he'd never seen a more beautiful sight in all his life than Nora naked and breathing heavy with need for him. She spread her legs a little and Nick could tell she was already wet. He placed kisses along her thighs and pressed her legs open furthur, granting himself better access. He gave a long, testing lick and she let out a little whimper of pleasure, her hips rising a bit to follow his tongue. He chuckled and looked up at her.

"Eager, aren't we?" He teased.

"Oh my God, you have no idea how much I want you do you?" Nora laughed.

"Hmmm. Why don't you enlighten me, sweetheart?" Nick replied, dipping his head back down between her wonderfully soft thighs to work his tongue on her in earnest.

Nick had to press Nora's hips down to keep her from squirming too much as she bucked her hips against him, her cries of pleasure pure music to his ears.

"Fuck, Nick" she panted, her arm draped over her face "I'm gonna- just a little- more."

Her fingers gripped the bedding beneath her and she tried to focus on breathing despite how hard Nick was making that with just his tongue. Nick ran his fingers over Nora's entrance, a careful but deliberate display to seek permission.

"Yes, that. Please that." She begged, her hips once again rising demandingly.

Nick smiled, thrilled to see her so wanting for him. He pressed his middle finger in first and moved it in a steady rhythm, earning a nice loud moan from Nora. After a moment he added another finger and moved them in a scissoring motion. He wasn't sure how far Nora wanted to take this, but if she wanted more Nick would make damn sure she was ready.

"Fuckfuckfuck Nick" Nora cried out, her whole body arching as she came. She bit down on her arm to try to muffle herself. Nick withdrew his fingers and held them up to the light. They glistened with her slickness, as did his mouth. He made a show of licking his fingers before wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. Nora reached out for him, and he joined her on the bed. She wrapped her legs around Nick's waist and pulled him in, kissing him deeply.

"Anyone ever tell you how beautiful you look when you cum?" Nick asked, gazing lovingly at the incredible woman beneath him.

"Maybe, but I like it best coming from you." Nora replied with a teasing smile.

"Do you want to stop?" Nick asked and pressed kisses along her neck. He nibbled and kissed her ear just to test her reaction to that, and he was pleasantly surprised when she moaned in response.

"Oh, you're an ear gal huh?" He asked, delighted by his new discovery. 

Nora's face was flushed as she nodded. "It's a- a big thing for me."

Nick grinned at that and took a moment just to nibble her earlobe, taking great pleasure in the way her breathing picked up again and she moaned once more.

"We can stop" Nick reminded after a moment, and she groaned when he pulled back to look at her.

"Noooo" she whined "I need you, Nick. I want you inside me." Her whole body felt hot and tingly, and it wouldn't be satisfied until she had more of him. "Please fuck me"

She lifted her hips and pulled his down to demonstrate just how badly she wanted him. She ran her hands over the light musculature design of Nick's torso plates and down to his belt buckle. She tugged on the belt, trying to undo the offending object and remove it. Nick reached down and helped her loosen the belt, then unbuttoned his trousers and pulled them down his hips. He kicked off the last remaining garment that stood between them, and came back to his position between Nora's legs. They stared into each others eyes for a moment, just taking in the experience of being this way with each other.

"I love you" Nora whispered, a private little smile gracing her lips.

"I love you, Nora." Nick replied, leaning down to kiss her. "Are you ready?"

"Yes. So much, yes." Nora replied eagerly. Nick lined himself up with her entrance and pressed into her slowly, gauging her reaction until he was fully inside her. She let out a long, satisfied moan and wrapped her arms around Nick's neck.

"Fuck" she whimpered "Oh fuck, it really is big. Even when I'm ready it's-" Nora bit her lip and arched her back.

"Are you okay? Am I hurting you?" Nick asked as his heart, or his facsimile of a heart, raced. She shook her head, but that didn't fully abate his concern. "Nora, am I hurting you?"

"No" Nora replied "It's- opposite of that" she moved just slightly and cried out, buring her face in the crook of her arm. It was a bit embarrassing to be this sensitive so quickly, but his fucking penis was ribbed. How didn't she realize that before?

"Who- who came up with the- the ribs?" Nora panted.

Nick grinned when he realized what Nora's reaction was about. She was already sensitive from having just cum from his mouth and fingers, and his cock was pretty much designed like a sex toy.

"Tom designed the whole thing" Nick replied, pulling slowly back and causing Nora to whimper again.

"I'll have to thank him for that." She said with a dazed laugh.

Nick leaned in and kissed her, which worked wonders to muffle her when he pulled out almost fully and thrust back in. She was a beautiful mess of moans and cries as Nick picked up the pace, and it took no time at all for her to begin trembling as her orgasm built up, coiling like a hot wire ready to snap.

"Come on sweetheart, cum for me." Nick whispered.

He leaned forward and wrapped an arm around her, his body covering her own completely and encapsulating her in his warmth. He nibbled her ear again, and that was all it took. She all but screamed as she came, her body quivering and writhing under Nick.

"That's perfect, doll. You're perfect." Nick muttered against her neck.

He helped her ride the high of her orgasm, moving slower while she was wracked by aftershocks. Nick slowed even more as Nora came down, ready to end things there. He didn't need to finish to be happy with this. Apparently Nora needed him to however because when he tried to pull away, her legs wrapped around his waist and kept him in place.

"I want you to cum in me" She said, pulling him back down into her.

"Fuck, Nora. I don't deserve you." Nick said with a small chuckle.

Nora shushed him and lifted her hips to meet his, and he took his que to move again. He picked up the pace, chasing his own pleasure this time but not neglecting Nora's. He ran his fingers along Nora's lips and she opened her mouth to suck on them. When they were sufficiently wet, he used his fingers to rub little circles over her currently very sensitive clit. That had her mewling and calling out Nick's name all over again. Nick knew he wouldn't last long at this pace, and he had no reason to try. He wrapped Nora in his arms again and thrust deeply a few more times, cumming with a low groan. Feeling Nick release inside her brought Nora's third orgasm crashing over her, both of them calling out each others names as they came.

They both lay there for a moment, breathless despite Nick not actually needing to breathe. Nick pulled out of Nora and rolled over onto his side, resting his hand on his stomach. He glanced over at Nora to make sure she was okay. She was more than okay, she was practically glowing. A light sheen of sweat covered her skin and she panted. She looked at Nick with a dazed little smile.

"I was mad at you, you know." She said, scolding him for making her forget that fact so easily.

"I know" Nick chuckled "But hey, on the bright side I learned that when I'm in trouble I just have to make you horny and you'll forgive me."

Nora smacked Nick, laughing disbelievingly. "Fuck you, Nick Valentine."

"Woah, slow down there tiger. You can't expect a decrepit old bot like me to keep up with you youngsters!" Nick replied, grinning at his own stupid joke. 

"I think I'm older than you" Nora argued. Nick laughed and pulled her into his arms, smoothing her hair and humming a tune she now recognized as 'Aint No Sunshine' until she was ready to clean up, or fall asleep. Whichever came first.


	7. Chapter 7

Lying still for hours doing nothing was a new experience for Nick. He didn't sleep, but Nora sure did. Usually when he was on the road with her he was sort of acting as a lookout while she slept, making himself useful the whole time. Right now however he was just lying here with her in his arms, watching her because there was nothing else he could do.

She was beautiful; the way her hair framed her face, her delicate features that stood out against the harshness of the world around them. Hell, even the way she lightly snored and drooled a little was somehow the most charming and endearing thing to him. He closed his eyes and listened to her breathing, slow and steady. He listened to her heartbeat, the blood that rushed through her body and reminded him that she was alive and real and here. A human couldn't hear that special song thrumming through her veins in the quiet moments like this, but Nick could.

She shifted in her sleep and he kissed the top of her head to soothe her. She shifted again and groaned, her face briefly registering confusion. Nick furrowed his brows and watched Nora as she began to toss and turn restlessly.

"Hey" he whispered, reaching out to smooth his hand over her hair. "Sweetheart?"

She whimpered and twisted in his grip.

"Nick" she said so quietly he almost couldn't make out what she said.

"I'm here" Nick replied, reaching out to stroke her cheek.

"Can't. Breathe" She groaned "Hurts"

Nick's heart felt like it had dropped into his stomach, and his mouth felt dry despite the condensator. How could he help her when he was the cause of her distress?

* * *

Nora stared into the eyes of the man who had taken everything from her. Her husband, her son, now Nick. Kellogg held Nora by her throat as if she were weightless, dangling her above the ground. Nick sat crumpled in a corner, unmoving, and Nora feared he was dead.

"Nick!" She called out, hoping against hope to stir him. He didn't move.

"Sorry pet, Nick can't come to the phone right now." Kellogg replied with a cold smile. "I'd be happy to take a message for him though"

"I can't breathe" she gasped, fingers scraping at the hands around her neck. "It hurts."

"Hear that Nikki?" Kellogg called over his shoulder "It hurts" he returned his gaze to Nora "Hmmm. Guess he doesn't care about you after all. He's not even trying." Kellogg shrugged and pressed a rough kiss to Nora's lips and she screamed against his mouth, kicking to free herself. He slammed her into the wall behind her, his hand still on her throat.

"No. Not true" she gasped "Nick cares. He loves-"

Kellogg rolled his eyes and squeezed Nora's neck tighter. "No, he doesn't. Sorry to break it to you, but Pinocchio will never be a real boy. Stop kidding yourself."

* * *

Nick could barely keep ahold of Nora as she did everything in her power to get away from him. Finally he gave up trying to convince himself he wasn't making it worse, and let go. She grabbed for her neck, her eyes moving rapidly beneath their lids. Nick thought for a moment about how to best wake her, and decided to just sort of shake her and call her name until it worked. He couldn't bring himself to splash water on her or slap her, so this would have to do.

Nora woke with a start, gasping like her lungs had been deprived of oxygen for a little too long. Her eyes were wild and searching, until they fell on Nick. He was awake and alive and aside from being deeply worried he looked fine.

"Nick?" Nora blinked, still in the haze of uncertainty that came from just waking up. Nick kept his hands awkwardly in his lap, wanting to touch Nora but not wanting to upset her.

"Looked like quite the dream you were having" he said with his best attempt at a smile. It wasn't very convincing.

"You're okay" Nora breathed, relieved. "I dreamt that Kellogg came into our house and did something to you, I wasn't even sure you were alive you were just lying there." She was shaking as her hands reached out for Nick.

"Our house?" Nick tilted his head ever so slightly at that. They didn't live together, though he certainly wouldn't have minded if they did. Nora's face flushed when she realized what she'd said.

"Oh. Yeah. We had a place together. Might've been Home Plate but I'm not sure." She picked at her fingernails in lieu of the hug she'd clearly been searching for.

"So, Kellogg's still causing trouble even now." Nick sighed and opened his arms to allow Nora to cuddle into him. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned his head on her shoulder, burying his face in her neck.

"Seems like it, yeah." Nora replied with a little sigh of her own.

They sat in silence for a while, broken only by Nick leaning over and grabbing his jacket from the end of the bed and fishing out his cigarettes and lighter. He placed a cigarette between his lips and lit it, taking a long drag and letting out a smoky breath. Nora quirked her head, watching him perform the ritual he had no physical need for.

"Why do you do that?" She asked with a small smirk.

"You've asked me that before, doll. It's just an old habit." Nick replied, letting out another puff of smoke as he spoke.

"Sure, but it's not the nicotine then. It's just the Nick." She giggled at her play on words. Nick smirked and shook his head.

"Guess so. Some things about the old Nick don't want to die." He admitted.

"Do you want them to? Do you resent the old Nick or are you glad for him?" She asked, tilting her head.

Nick's golden eyes looked Nora over for a moment. "I'm glad he existed so I could, but I wish I knew how to be my own person. I want something that's just mine."

Nora nodded "You said that before, and at the time I wanted to say something but it felt... It wasn't appropriate."

Nick raised a brow "What kind of not appropriate?" He leaned forward a bit, his eyes taking in her features, searching for answers.

"I wanted to say 'you have me' when you said it before" Nora admitted with a blush.

Nick chuckled and smiled, leaning in even closer and kissing her. "That I do darling, and I may be the luckiest man alive for it. Never mind the fact I'm not exactly alive."

Nora rolled her eyes "You are very much alive. You're sure as hell not dead."

She kneeled and straddled his hips, wiggling her own hips slightly. Nick chuckled and pulled her into a heated kiss. His mouth tasted of cigarettes and lightly of metal, naturally.

"That's not what I meant" he said, peppering kisses down her neck.

"I know what you meant, but do you really want to get into a philosophical debate about what it means to be alive?" Nora asked "I can think of other things we could do instead."

Nick's hands wandered down Nora's body, mapping the little imperfections and scars that made her so uniquely her.

"For what it's worth, I feel alive when I'm with you." Nick offered.

Nora smiled in response "That's what I like to hear. Guess that means you'll have to stay with me forever."

Nick leaned his head against her, stilling for a moment while he let the sudden pang in his chest caused her words subside. Nora shifted to look into his eyes when she noticed his change in mood.

"What's wrong?" She asked with a worried little look that melted Nick's heart.

"Nothing, sweetheart. I just... I've never wanted to be basically immortal less in my life. Never wanted it to begin with, but I especially don't now." Nick lamented. Nora's mouth fell open into an understanding, soundless 'Oh'. She would grow old and die, but Nick would not. He was going to be like this forever. She recalled him commenting before that if she were only a Synth, they could go on like this forever. He'd been thinking about this for a while now.

"We both know I'm probably not growing old and dying in bed anyway. I'm going down swinging before I ever reach senility." She joked. Nick furrowed his brows.

"Nora" He chastised. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" He didn't want to think about her dying. What his life would be now without her. She was so much of what made his life worthwhile, and it would be empty without her.

"Nick" Nora replied, mimicking his tone. She leaned in and kissed him softly. "I'm a woman out of time, all of mine is borrowed since I stepped out of that Vault. Your lover is terminal."

Nick took another long drag of his cigarette, his synthetic features illuminated by the light it cast.

"My lover likes to torment me" He replied after a moment. Nora chuckled softly, placing her forehead against his.

"My funny Valentine, you make me smile with my heart." She kissed the corner of his mouth, a surprising chaste thing considering she was straddling his lap without a scrap of clothes on.

"Gonna tell me my looks are laughable next?" Nick teased, continuing the quote with a defiant smirk.

"Nah, you're my favorite work of art" Nora shot back, not willing to let Nick's self deprecating sense of humor win.

"That so? Art's not exactly what I'd call it but hey, whatever floats your boat." Nick replied with a shrug.

"Know what floats my boat, Nick Valentine?" Nora asked as she leaned in to nibble along his collarbone. Nick snuffed out his cigarette in the ashtray on the stand next to the bed.

"Hmmm" he pondered dramatically for a moment "I can't begin to imagine"

Nora began placing kisses down his chest. "You'll just have to find out then." She said with a smirk, making her way down his torso. The slight muscles were such a nice touch. Too much would have been out of place on Nick, but the feel of natural muscle was perfect on him.

Nick leaned back as her head sank lower and lower, his cock twitching in response to her. Her lips brushed over the region where dark curly hair would reside if he were human. She wondered to herself if he was the 'manscaping' type, provided he had the hair for it. As it was it didn't matter since he couldn't grow hair at all anyway. She placed a few kisses along his length, and was reminded all over again of the texture he'd been given.

She smirked up at him as he watched her with half lided eyes. She stuck out her tongue and ran it slowly along the length of him before taking as much as she could into her mouth. She hummed in appreciation of the thick, ribbed member. It had a wonderfully unique mouthfeel. It was too damn long to take all the way down, so she used some spit as lubricant and added her hand to the base to cover the full area.

Nick took in a sharp breath as Nora began bobbing her head up and down. Fuck, his dame really knew what she was doing and she fully intended to drive him crazy with that knowledge. His fingers tangled in her hair with a semi-subconscious need to keep her where she was as he looked down at her. She looked so good with her pillowy lips wrapped around his cock, her jaw stretched wide just to take him in. She followed the pace Nick probably didn't realize he was setting with the pressure he put on the back on her head, a slight motion a less perceptive person might have missed.

"Fuck, doll. Keep that up and I won't last long." Nick groaned.

Nora nodded her head, though it ended up as more of an extra bob in her pattern, and hummed again. The hum caused a little vibration that sent a shiver of pleasure through him. She sped up a bit and Nick's head lolled back.

"I'm gonna- fuck, gonna cum" Nick gasped, his grip tightening slightly more in her hair. 

She hummed again, smiling at how much he was enjoying this. He threw his head back and let out a low groan that was so purely masculine it resonated deep within her, making her whole body heat up in response. He came with a few thrusts, muttering her name like some sacred prayer. Despite her best efforts she couldn't keep all of it in her mouth and some of his synthetic cum dripped past her lips. She swallowed and wiped her mouth, then licked her lips while watching Nick watch her.

Nick leaned back, his glowing eyes flicking across Nora's features. He didn't intend to ever forget what she looked like in moments like this, all worked up and pink faced.

"Good way to get the coolant pumping?" Nora asked after a moment with a smugly satisfied smirk.

"Phenomenal, dollface." Nick replied with a chuckle.

"Good, then it was worth it." Nora said with a shrug "Since I'm pretty sure Piper is going to kill me for abandoning her at the Third Rail hours ago. She probably thinks I'm dead or something."

"Nah, if she suspected you weren't one hundred percent okay that fiesty dame would be busting the door of this place down in a heartbeat." Nick replied with an amused look on his face.

"Yeah, that's probably true. Either way, I should go apologize and beg her forgiveness." Nora said with a dramatic sigh.

"Just don't beg too much. She'll come to expect it." Nick quipped.

"Yeah yeah, just help me find my... everything." Nora replied, searching for her clothes.

"I think I saw a pair of lacy panties on the lampshade" Nick teased.

"Yours or mine?" Nora replied without missing a beat.

Nick laughed more loudly than he'd expected to. Another of the infinite things to love about Nora was that she could give as good as she took. It was never a good idea to tease her if you didn't plan on getting it thrown right back at you. He set to work collecting their clothes and getting back into a presentable state before heading out to find, and apologize to, Piper.


	8. Chapter 8

Making up for abandoning Piper was less work than Nora had expected, not that it should have been too surprising. All it took was giving her some answers while paying for all her drinks in the Third Rail. The three talked for hours in a private corner of the bar while Magnolia crooned in the background.

"So, it's all over then?" Piper slurred slightly, her cheeks pink from all the alcohol she'd imbibed. "No more Mr. Wheaties?" Nick and Nora exchanged a confused look at that.

"If you mean Kellogg, yeah. He's gone." Nick replied.

"Good. Fuck that guy!" Piper said, thumping her glass down on the table. "Who does that kind of shit anyway?"

"What kind of shit? You mean forcing yourself on someone?" Nora asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Fuckin yeah!" Piper squeaked "I mean Raiders maybe, but come on. I just don't geddit!"

"That's probably a good thing" Nick reasoned.

"Yeah? Well I think rapists should get their dicks chopped off!" Piper asserted confidently. "That's a punishment that fits the crime right there."

"What if it's a woman?" Nora asked, taking a sip of her own drink.

Piper's mouth gaped for a moment as she thought about that. "Hey yeah! What then?" She tapped her fingers on the table thoughtfully.

Nora chuckled, even if she really didn't love the topic of conversation it was hard not to find drunk Piper funny. She glanced at Nick, and he seemed to be feeling much the same way. Piper yawned and rubbed her eyes, her head slowly nodding sleepily.

"Does your husband know about all this?" Piper asked, slurring so much it took Nora a second to understand what she'd said.

"My husband is dead." Nora reminded Piper, her hand reaching absently for the necklace that held both her and Nate's rings. 

"Nuh uh uh" Piper replied, waggling her finger. "Not that one, the other one."

Nora and Nick looked at each other again, equally confused.

"Metal husband" Piper pointed at Nick "Robot husband, ghoul husband, soft husband, muscle boy husband." Piper said, holding up a finger for each husband she listed off. 

Nora snorted as she finally realized what Piper was saying. Apparently Piper had decided all of Nora's friends were her spouses. "Alright, so which husband are you referring to, and are you my husband too?"

Piper giggled and tapped her nose, but didn't actually answer the question. "Don't think muscle boy husband should find out." She reasoned. Nora knew Piper was referring to Danse with that one. 

"Definitely not" Nora agreed.

"I still don't understand what you see in those Brotherhood types." Nick sighed.

"I guess I see stability" Nora admitted. "They have extreme views and many of them are wrong, but that doesn't mean the whole group is bad."

Nick shook his head but didn't argue. He knew she was a person who thought she could change people, and to be fair if anyone could it was her. He just doubted the success she could have with the Brotherhood. Piper stretched and stood up, wobbling a bit.

"I'm going to bed" Piper announced. "Think husband for hire will let me crash on his couch?" She asked, waving toward the door to MacCready's room.

Nora choked on her drink when she heard Piper's nickname for MacCready, and Nick thumped her back helpfully. Piper began toddling off toward MacCready's room, and Nora wondered what the relationship between the two was. Maybe there was more there than Nora thought. That hunch was strengthened when MacCready responded to Piper knocking on his door by slinging her arm over his shoulder and leading her into his room as if it were a perfectly regular thing to do. How often was Piper in Goodneighbor?

As Nora pondered this, Nick stood and took her hand. "Looks like we have some time to spare." He commented, casually getting her attention. Nora looked up at Nick, a small smile gracing her lips. "Care to dance, doll?"

"I'd love to" Nora replied, standing up and following Nick to a decent spot.

The two fell into place easily, like they'd been doing this for years, Nick's hands resting on the small of Nora's back while Nora placed her hands on his shoulders. They swayed to Magnolia's song, ignorant of the eyes on them from curious patrons.

Nora gazed into Nick's eyes, and her heart seemed to want to sing along with Mangolia. How else could she describe what she was feeling? This sensation of deep and clear adoration, this feeling that no one and no thing could ever matter as much as the person she was looking at. She wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or cry at how much she loved him. For as much as she remembered loving Nate, it was never like this. With Nate it was like being drunk all the time without actually drinking, it was giddiness and tingling bubbling excitement. It was crazy blind passion, white hot intensity and neediness.

With Nick, everything was different. It was a calm and quiet trust, a comforting familiarity. Nick was home. He was warmth and safety. The way Nora loved Nick permeated her whole being, and touched the deepest parts of her soul. Even with the hell they'd been put through recently, nothing about that changed. Nothing could change it, she was certain. Imagining a world that Nick wasn't part of simply didn't make sense, in was incongruous with what living meant to her now. The world she woke up in was a world without Nate, and though it hurt she survived his absence. Were she to wake up to a world without Nick, she would wake up in a world hardly worth living in at all.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Nick asked, hoping to gain some insight into the way Nora was looking at him. It was such a deep and beautiful gaze so full of love and warmth.

"I love you" Nora said simply, her smile blissful.

"I love you too" Nick replied without hesitation. Nothing he'd ever said could be more true than that.

The two stood there, swaying to the music for what could have been minutes or hours.

"So. The glowing sea huh?" Nick said after a while.

"Yup. It should be interesting. We could die out there." Nora reminded Nick.

"I know, but if anyone can make it there and back in one piece it's you, doll." Nick replied with a smile.

Nora's heart melted at the way he looked at her. She had no doubt that he believed what he said completely.

"Alright loverboy, take me home" Nora said, wrapping her arms around Nick's neck.

"With pleasure" Nick replied with a chuckle.

* * *

The journey to the glowing sea was far easier than Nora suspected actually traversing the place would be. She had to walk around in power armor, which certainly wasn't something she was used to. She'd never liked how clunky and easy to hit it made her, but she needed it to resist the radiation of the ground zero they were heading directly towards.

Making camp inside an easy to defend building had quickly become a normal part of travel for Nick and Nora. Tonight they were set up in a house that was surprisingly sturdy despite the ravages of time. The roof seemed to still work to keep rain out of the house and the walls were still standing. It may have been a summer house, Nora noted, as there were no skeletons in the house at all.

Nora set up in the livingroom, thrilled to be out of the power armor for a while. She sat back on the couch, stretching and yawning dramatically. She glanced at Nick, who had been unusually quiet since they entered the house. She wondered if it was maybe familiar to him somehow. She closed her eyes for a moment, just a moment, and soon she was nodding off.

She woke up rather quickly when she felt herself being hauled to her feet, her eyes snapping open to see Nick standing there and holding her a few inches off the ground by grabbing her jaw painfully.

"What the-" Nora began, but a familiar voice interrupted her.

"Heya pinup. We need to talk."


	9. Chapter 9

"Don't worry, this time I made sure to keep the ol' dick busy for a while." Kellogg's voice spoke through Nick's mouth. "Thinks he's running a diagnostic until I let him out of the feedback loop I put him in. He can't hear or see anything."

Nora sneered and struggled uselessly against Kellogg's grasp. "What do you want, you sick son of a bitch?" 

Nick's free hand traced a path down Nora's body as the other easily kept her dangling above the gorund. Kellogg liked being able to just hold her up like a prized fish, a little trophy for him. "Awe, is that any way to talk to an old friend?" Kellogg asked with a chuckle. 

"Get your fucking hands off me" Nora demanded, kicking out at Kellogg. 

Kellogg tisked and brought Nora closer to him "Now why would I do that? Thought you liked these rubbery doll hands. Besides, the view is so nice from here." He crushed his mouth against Nora's in a bruising kiss, and took great satisfaction in the squeak she let out in protest. 

His free hand removed Nick's tie with an elegant dexterity few humans could achieve, wrapped it around Nora's wrists and tied a knot that wouldn't be easy to undo. He let her fall to the floor and stepped back to admire his handiwork. 

"You know, it might help your case if you weren't so cute when you're compromised like this." Kellogg commented smugly. 

Nora lunged forward, keeping a low center, and attempted to trip him. He hopped to the side and watched her tumble to the floor once again, skidding her arm when she landed. He walked over and placed a foot on her shoulder, pushing her to lie on her back and stare up at him. 

"That was adorable" he chuckled. He stepped on the center of her chest and pressed down enough to make it hard for her to breathe. 

"Did the Doctor bother to tell you that the thing you jacked into Nikki boy's brain isn't just the hippocampus? It's the amygdala too." Kellogg commented, as if the position they were in was perfectly normal for a conversation. 

"Can't say I bothered to ask" Nora replied through gritted teeth. 

"Ah. Well I never cared much when the eggheads were telling me about it, but I do know the amygdala is largely responsible for sexual arousal in men." He bent down over Nora, adding a little more pressure to her chest. Not enough to realize anything, just enough to hurt. It was an interesting experience, her chest pressing up against his in a battle for breathing space.

"Unfortunately for you, the parts that tell you if something is morally right or wrong are kinda missing in that whole equation, since you left it in chunks on the floor of my hideout. Only reason I can even recognize that right and wrong exist is old memories and Nick's programming. Otherwise, all you're left with is raw emotions, memories, and sex drive." Kellogg explained as if Nora had specifically asked and expressed interest in the topic. "Conrad Kellogg, brain fully intact, probably wouldn't have fucked you like a two cap whore, but as it stands I couldn't care less."

Just to prove his point, Kellogg removed his foot from Nora's chest and quickly knelt down to straddle her waist. One of his hands ran along her hip, found the top of her jeans and began unbuttoning them. 

"Okay, fucking great." Nora spat, glaring at Kellogg in Nick's body "Why don't you tell me what the fuck you want from me, besides to rape me for funsies?" 

"What I want is actually pretty simple." Kellogg replied with a twisted grin, snaking Nick's hand under the line of her underwear. "See just like the old Nikki V, I had my brain scanned and copied by the Institute. Just in case." He smirked as he watched Nora fight not to squirm when his fingers found their way to her clit and began rubbing circles. "Everything that makes me me is sitting on a computer in the Institute. All I need you to do is find the program when you get there, because we both know you will, and take it back with you. Then we find a braindead Synth for me to upload into, I remove every trace of myself from the old clockwork dick, and you get to marry a toaster. It's a win win."

"He's a Synth detective, asshole." Nora hissed, her breath hitching despite her best efforts not to respond to Kellogg's touch. 

"Sure, whatever" Kellogg replied "If I say sorry for losing my temper last time, will you stop fighting me?" 

Nothing about his voice sounded sincere, he wasn't the least bit sorry for what he did. 

"Get fucked" Nora spat "Let Nick go and maybe I'll think about helping you." 

"Oh, you don't have a choice really." Kellogg replied, then pushed Nick's fingers inside Nora. He found it amusing that she was kind of wet this time. "Your body's getting used to this already. Maybe I'll stick around and keep you as my personal little sex slave. Wouldn't mind fucking you until you can't stand all day, every day. Would you like that?" He pumped his fingers into her "Is this what you want, pet? To be my plaything?" Kellogg asked, trying out a different nickname. It suited her quite well really. She reminded him of a kitten in a way. A kitten who could rip out your jugular if your weren't careful. 

Nora opened her mouth to say something, anything, but all that came out was a shaky moan. Kellogg was still straddling her waist, casually leaning back with a growing hardness pressing against her stomach as he deftly fingered her. 

"Admit it, you want this. You always did." Kellogg said with a deep chuckle. 

"N-no. Fuck-uhn, fuck you." Nora panted and attempted to push Kellogg off her by lifting her hips, but it only served to push Nick's fingers deeper into her. She bit her lip and groaned. 

"I could keep Nikki down forever and just play with your body like this. I do mean forever, by the way." Kellogg said, watching Nora intently. Nora furrowed her brows, her brain fogging with unwanted pleasure. 

He pulled his hand away from Nora, earning a sound somewhere between a whimper and sigh in response. He repositioned himself between Nora's legs and had to catch her ankle when she attempted to kick Nick's head. He tisked and pushed her legs wide open. Her panties were soaked and he hummed in amusement. 

"You like when I threaten to treat you like a whore?" He asked, yanking her jeans and panties off in a swift motion. 

"No!" Nora replied, attempting to kick him again. "Fuck. You!" 

"Getting there, pet. Getting there." Kellogg replied. He shoved Nora's panties into her mouth to gag her. "Getting kind of tired of your mouth though. For now anyway. Might use it later." He pulled Nick's cock free from his trousers and ran it along Nora's slit. "Yeah, you're real fucking wet. If Valentine knew all it took to get you wet was to treat you like a fuck toy, what would he think?" He leaned over her body and kissed her roughly. "Think he'll drop the gentlemen act and tie you up, force you against a wall and shove this massive dick inside your tight little pussy?" Kellogg growled against Nora's ear. "Because I will." 

He pushed Nick's cock into her in one hard, fast thrust. She screamed out but the fabric in her mouth muffled it. The sudden stretching ached a bit, but she was far more ready this time and the pain mingled with pleasure. She whimpered, her eyes rolling back as he pulled out and slammed back into her. 

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Kellogg said, setting a fast pace from the start.

Nick's body covered Nora's and enveloped her in the smell of old cloth and cigarette smoke, Nick's smell, as Kellogg fucked her hard and fast with no concern for how she felt about it. Nora had a hard time reminding herself that she didn't want this, that the body may be Nick's but this was in fact not Nick. It felt good, and the noises she was making were embarrassing. How could she be moaning and whimpering like this with the fragmented psyche of a murderer raping her? 

"I have this memory" Kellogg said, interrupting Nora's muffled moans. "Going through the leader of the Institute's computer. Top secret shit that would've gotten me killed if he found out." He grunted and gave an extra hard thrust into Nora just to make sure she was paying attention. 

"Ohw" Nora hissed through her gag. 

"Ow? Did that hurt?" Kellogg asked, repeating the motion and earning another pained whimper from Nora. "Wouldn't want you to forget what's happening here, would we?"

"Pluhsse" Nora whimpered "Shohp"

"Sorry, can't understand you" Kellogg replied mockingly, but returned to the pace that had her moaning before. "You promise to get that copy of my personality, I'll tell you how to access secret files in Father's computer that'll change your fucking life." 

Nora furrowed her brows, how was she supposed to think straight enough to make deals right now? As if in response, Kellogg moved Nick's hand between her legs and began rubbing her clit. She moaned loudly through the makeshift gag and arched her back, cursing as she felt the telltale coil of pleasure building in her core. 

"Come on, it's a good deal. Take it. Fucking take it." Kellogg said with a grunt, and Nora wasn't sure what he was referring to at the moment; the deal or the cock. 

"Hmmf" Nora replied, nodding her head. 

"Attagirl" Kellogg said, grabbing the panties in her mouth and yanking them out. "I wanna hear when you cum." 

"Fuck. I- FUCK!" Nora cried out, pulling against the restraint on her wrists. "Fuckfuckfuck." Her body arched as she came, her eyes rolling back and her words dissolving into desperate moans of white hot pleasure. 

"You even moan like a whore" Kellogg said with a chuckle that morphed into a grunt as his hips snapped harshly forward. Nora hissed and Kellogg knew she was probably feeling overstimulated. Nick would probably stop or slow down and let her ride out her orgasm, but Kellogg didn't really give a shit. 

"Ah, fuck. That hurts, asshole." Nora cursed. 

"Why don't you tell your boyfriend?" Kellogg asked with another harsh series of thrusts. "Want me to bring him out right now, buried inside you again? He reacted to raping you so well last time." 

"You're disgusting" Nora spat, gritting her teeth. 

"Yeah? Remember that next time you fuck the Synth Dick. Remember me fucking you." Kellogg replied, picking up the already rough pace to a brutal one. Nora cried out and pushed against Nick's face, hoping it would at least be distracting if nothing else. It didn't do much beyond giving Nick a new scratch on his face. He would notice that, she realized too late. She couldn't let him know about this if possible, and that wouldn't help hide the truth. 

Kellogg came with a few final thrusts. Nora didn't think she was bleeding this time at least, but she was already aching as he pulled out and let the combination of their fluids leak from her. Kellogg sat back and quickly tucked Nick's cock back in his trousers, then leaned over Nora and untied her wrists. 

"You know what to do. Don't fuck me over or I'll spend the rest of your life fucking you over, and over." Kellogg warned, redoing Nick's tie around his neck. "Might wanna get all cleaned up before I let him go. Unless you want him to know I'm still in here." Kellogg warned. 

"Fuck you" Nora hissed, but got to work washing herself and straightening her clothes. 

She settled back onto the couch and closed her eyes, doing her best to ignore the new and terrible revelation that her nightmare was far from over.


End file.
